Car-seal.



W. H. NORTHALL.

GAR SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1912.

1,032,232., Patented July 9,1912

MIME/161M INVENTOR WITNESSES iw /m rinrTnn sTaTns TaTnnT enrich.

WILLIAM H. NORTHALL, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB, OF ONE-HALF TO FRED W. GOEDEKE, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

CAR-SEAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HLLIAM H. Non'rrr- ALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Car-Seal, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car seals.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car seals, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and etlicient device, which it will be impossible to pick or otherwise open without destroying the car seal.

A further object of the invent-ion is to provide a car seal of this character, adapted to be easily, quickly and correctly applied to a car without requiring the parts to be marked in order to correctly lock the seal.

Vith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination. of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and 1ninor-details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the at vantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car seal, constructed in accordance with this invention and shown locked. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the flexible strip or shackle. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the cap.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.-

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a flexible strip of thin tin, or other suitable sheet metal provided at one end with an integral plate 2. preferably of circular form and provided with a central longitudinal depression forming a channel or guide-way 3, corresponding in width to that of the flexible strip and forming a guide-way for and adapted to receive the free end 4. of the strip 1. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 19, 1912.

Patented JulyQ, 1912.

Serial No. 684,851.

disk or plate 2 is provided at the outer end of the channel with an integral inwardly extending resilient tongue 5, having an oblong opening 6 and forming a keeper to be engaged by a resilient catch 7 of the free end of the strip 1 when the latter is inserted in the inner end or entrance of the said channel. The catch 7, which tapers inwardly, is formed integral with the strip 1 by partially severing the metal, and the said catch 7, which .is arranged at a slight angle to the outer face of the strip 1, is adapted when inserted in the longitudinal channel 3 to lift the keeper and engage the opening thereof. The resilient keep-er, which lies within the channel 3 when the parts are assembled, has its free inner end 8 bent at a slight angle to permit the free end of the strip 1 to pass readily beneath it, and as soon as the catch 7 passes the end of the keeper, the latter springs inwardly toward the free end of the strip in attempting to regain its initial position, and the free end of the keeper extends across the strip 1 and lies between the catch and the outer end of the channel or guide-way, so that it is impossible to withdraw the free end of the flexible strip 1 after the same has been inserted in the casing formed by the disk or plate 2 and a cap 9.

The cap 9, which is of circular form to conform to the configuration of the disk or plate, is provided with a peripheral flange 10, which is bent inwardly against the outer face of the disk or plate 2, and it may be soldered or otherwise secured to the same, but when the flange is properly upset against the disk or plate, it will be impossible to remove and replace the cap without breaking the flange and indicating clearly that the seal has been tampered with. The disk or plate 2 is provided at opposite sides of the channel with fiat side portions 11. and the cap has flat side portions 12, which fit flat against the side portions of the disk or plate 2. The flange 10 is cut away at 13 at the outer end or entrance of the channel or guide-way 3, and the cap is provided with an inner raised approximately se1ni cylindrical portion. 14, torming an inner in terior longitudinal groove and located above the channel to provide an enlarged entrance to the same and adapted to receive the outer portion of a longitudinal rib or boss 15. The raised hollow boss or rib, which is formed by stamping or depressing the strip 1 at the inner face thereof, is provided at the outer end with an abrupt shoulder 16, forming an inner abrupt end wall for the groove of the longitudinal boss, which fills the groove of the cap and completely closes the entrance to the casing after the free end of the flexible metallic strip 1 has been inserted in the same, whereby it is adapted to prevent a piece of tin, or other material from being inserted in the casing to push down the catch and release the free end of the strip 1. If a piece of tin or other in strument were inserted above the boss, it would be raised by the latter above the catch and would slip over the latter, and it the instrument were inserted below the boss it would come in contact with and be stopped by the abrupt end wall 16. The cap is also provided at its outer portion with raised stamped portions 17 and 18 to provide interior spaces or recesses for the keeper and the catch, when the latter is engaged wit-h the keeper. The catch '7 is adapted to extend through the opening of the keeper into the recess formed by the raised portion 18, and its free end is located beyond the keeper and is adapted to extend between the same and the wall of the raised portion 18, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and any attempt to pick the lock by inserting a thin strip of metal between the side portions of the flexible strip 1 will operate to press the catch outward, and will maintain the same in its engaging position. This construction renders it impossible to depress the catch and pick the look by such an instrument.

While the seal is designed particularly for use for sealing our doors, yet it will be apparent that it may be employed wherever a seal of this character is desired.

What is claimed is 1. A seal of the class described including a casing comprising a plate having a central longitudinal channel and provided at the outer portion thereof with a resilient keeper, said channel extending to the inner end of the casing and forming an entrance to the same, a separate cap receiving and secured to the plate and fitting against the same at opposite sides of the channel, and afiexible metallic strip formed integral with one of the parts of the casing and provided at. its free end with a catch for engaging the said keeper and having a boss spaced from the catch and arranged to close the entrance to the channel when the free end of the metallic strip is inserted in the 60,

same.

2. A seal of the class described including a casing composed of a plate having a longitudinal channel and provided at the outer end thereof with an integral resilient reeper, and a cap receiving the plate and secured to the same and provided with a raised approximately semi-cylindrical portion located above the channel of the plate to form an enlarged entrance, and a metallic strip formed integral at one of its ends with the plate and provided at its free end with a catch for engaging the said keeper and having a longitudinal boss stamped from the inner face of the strip and provided at the outer end with an abrupt end wall spaced from the catch, said boss fitting in the said enlarged entranceto the channel and forming a closure for the same.

8. A. seal of the class described including a flexible metallic strip provided at one end with an integral plate having a longitudinal channel and provided at the outer end thereof with an inwardly extending resilient tongue, the latter having an opening and forming a keeper, said strip being'provided at its other end with an integral catch and having a longitudinal boss spaced from the catch, and a cap fitted on the plate and cooperating with the same to form a keeper and provided with an interior groove located above the inner end of the channel and receiving the boss.

4. A seal of the class described including a flexible metallic strip provided at one end with an integral plate having a longitudinal channel and provided at the outer end thereof wit-h an inwardly extending resilient tongue, the latter having an opening and forming a keeper, said strip being provided at its other end with an integral catch and having a longitudinal. boss spaced from the catch, and a cap secured to and receiving the plate and provided with a raised longitudinal portion located at the inner end of the channel to receive the boss, said cap being also provided with raised portions lo cated above the keeper and forming interior recesses to receive the same and the catch.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. NORTHALL.

Witnesses HENRY B. WVALKER, H. B. lWloCUToHEoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. C. 

